When you pack for a trip, especially a trip overseas, it’s easy to forget about medications and first-aid. That’s why you should always bring a basic first-aid kit with you on your travels.
I always keep a pre-packed first-aid kit ready to go so I don’t have to think twice about it when I’m packing. Of course, you may need additional items depending on where you’re going and what activities you have planned. But this first-aid kit packing list covers the basics.
First-Aid Kit Tips
Look in the school supply section of your local drugstore for a small container, or order a small tackle box from Amazon.
Only separate medication from its labeled bottle if you know you’ll be able to differentiate pills.
Keep prescription medications separate from your first-aid kit.
Include over-the-counter (OTC) medication based on your needs; i.e., if you’re traveling on a cruise and need motion sickness pills, make sure to include those.
Pack a natural balm like GREEN GOO First Aid, which can relieve symptoms for dry skin, insect bites, scrapes, rashes, chafing, cuts, sunburns, blisters, and poison ivy.
Include various-sized bandages; they double for blister protection if you plan on doing a lot of walking.
Hand sanitizer, a small tissue pack, lip balm, and sunscreen are also must-haves.
Be sure to fill out the Medical ID on your iPhone and list any allergies, emergency contacts, and your doctor’s information.
Terror attacks are a harrowing reminder of the dangers to which traveling can sometimes expose us. Places like Paris, Beirut, Brussels, and Bangkok are only a fraction of the tourist-filled city to experience attacks or high terror alerts recently. Travelers often cancel their flight or hotel reservations when threats increase, many losing a lot of money if they booked without travel insurance. That, however, is a small price to pay compared to the worst-case scenario.
Here’s how you can prepare for, respond to, and prevent the travel consequences of events like this one from affecting you.
Know Your Options
Look into emergency phone numbers and the embassy’s contact information before you leave on your trip. Keep them both saved in your phone and written down somewhere easily accessible, and know how to ask for help and give your location in the native language. If you don’t know the local emergency phone number or basic emergency phrases, you could end up playing phone tag during a crisis like this Airbnb user recently did. It’s crucial be able to contact local authorities immediately should you find yourself in a life-threatening situation. Once the situation is diffused, notify your embassy of the incident and of your status.
Forget packing your travel gadgets and wear them on the plane instead.
Wearable Travel Accessories
Here are the handiest wearables that double as travel accessories, from self-defense alarms to shoes—and where to find them.
GPS Wrist Phones
Have little ones you’re worried about traveling with (or without) for the first time? Discreet GPS wristbands or watch phones for kids are gaining steam as travel accessories worth investing in. Some even have calling capabilities, great for kids who aren’t old enough for a phone just yet.
Oaxis’s Smart Watch Phone for Kids walks the line between safety device and fun gadget. It has a few games on it that will drain the battery in a few hours, but otherwise has pre-built texts and emojis that can be sent to up to ten contacts and even lets kids send voice messages if texting isn’t their strong suit.
LINQ Wearable Charging Cable
is a bracelet and charging cable for iPhones and iPads that allows you to wear your iPhone cord when you don’t have anywhere to stash it, and it comes with a super-compact portable charging bank. Plus, the woven cable looks to be a lot more durable than Apple’s fast-fraying cables.
Fitness Trackers
It’s easy to fall victim to unhealthy habits on vacation, but it’s just as easy to squeeze some walking or other healthy activities into your trip if you keep track of your body with a fitness tracker. Use a Fitbit to count your daily steps and even chart your sleep stats during your trip.
BASU eAlarm
SmarterTravel’s Jamie Ditaranto toted around the BASU eAlarm, a self-defense keychain, to see if it was durable enough for travel. Add this tiny alarm to your collection of wearables in case you find yourself walking alone at night in unfamiliar places. “It never hurts to have a portable self-defense device on you,” Ditaranto says. “This one emits a loud noise when you pull a pin, yet it’s small and light enough to fit in with your keys, so you’ll never leave it at home.”
UV Patches
Never forget to reapply sunscreen again by tracking your sun exposure with a UV patch. L’Oreal’s La Roche-Posay introduced MY UV Patch as one of the first sun-protection wearables: Scan the patch while wearing it to get sun-blocking advice and re-apply times on your phone. It’s a fun way to get kids to keep track of and improve their sunscreen habits, and the patch itself lasts up to three days, even .
SCOTTeVEST
(Photo: SCOTTeVEST)
To turn all your essentials into wearables, try a pocket-addled travel jacket like this hoodie from SCOTTeVEST. The casual sweatshirt has 21 pockets to help you lighten your baggage load, and will comfortably fit bigger items like an iPad or a water bottle. It’s basically a carry-on bag you can wear.
SleepPhones
My favorite wireless headphones, SleepPhones look like a soft headband but have wireless speakers inside that will allow you to sleep in any position on the plane. You’ll forget you’re even wearing them: I use them to turn on white noise that lulls me to sleep when I’m restless in a new place, and they can double as an eye mask.
Smartphone Watches
Wearables for your smartphone are no longer the stuff of science fiction thanks to options like the Apple Watch and Samsung Smartwatches. These travel accessories allow travelers to check their phone hands-free, which reduces how much you’ll have to rummage around for your phone. Smartphone watches can also double as fitness trackers. On-screen flight details you’d usually get with your mobile boarding pass through your phone’s lock screen are on hand at all times with an Apple Watch, and Samsung recently partnered with Lonely Planet to make hands-free travel guides available on Samsung Gear S3.
Price and Where to Buy: Apple Watches start at $200 from Amazon; Smartwatches at $300 from Samsung.
Suavs
Well-designed travel shoes aren’t technically gadget wearables, but they’re definitely high-tech travel accessories worth splurging on. SmarterTravel’s Ashley Rossi swears by Suavs, which are made of high-performance mesh that breathes so your feet won’t sweat. Plus, they’re sleek and on trend. “For those that have TSA PreCheck, slip-ons are the perfect shoe for travel. Suavs are incredibly lightweight and supportive, so they’re perfect for walking around cities,” Rossi says.
